The Unfic
by nomdeplume1313
Summary: Ed has a crush in the military, but he finds out that someone has feelings for him that he'd never expect. And this is called the unfic just because of an annoying habit I had in naming the chapters.
1. Unnecessary Jealousy

_A/N: I don't own the characters, I don't profit off of them. This is just a fic I wrote for a friend who has a love for this pairing, and I ran with it._

**Unnecessary Jealousy**

It had almost sickened Maes Hughes to realize that he was, in fact, jealous of his best and oldest friend. He thought of Roy like a brother, though many had always thought—wrongly—that he and Roy were or had been more than friends at some point in their history together. But there was a simple fact that Roy Mustang didn't swing that way.

Maes on the other hand…

Well, he covered well for himself, finding a woman he considered relatively attractive, despite his inclinations in the other direction, a woman he felt comfortable with even to the point of fathering a child with her. He kept a light, jovial attitude, which made other men feel comfortable enough when he would be just a bit too affectionate or hands-on. Maes had always found he had some traits that could be giveaways for his true preferences, traits that he'd managed to disguise in playful banter, innocent pranks, and excessive devotion to his little girl, which never was a put-on.

Roy was one of the few people who knew the truth about Maes, one of the few that Maes could trust with this secret. And the younger colonel had always promised to keep Maes's secret for him, joking that it was all the more an incentive for Maes to ensure that Roy rose through the ranks. For some, that would sound like a threat of blackmail, but the head of military investigations knew better. It was a promise on Roy's part that the laws that kept gays afraid of being found out would be abolished right along with the incessantly pointless wars and military experimentation.

So the sudden surprise that he was actually jealous of Roy disgusted him.

To an outsider, there were numerous reasons why the lieutenant colonel would envy his friend. Roy had a definite way with the ladies, and even married men like Maes wished they had that kind of skill, but obviously that wasn't the issue. He had also reached a higher rank despite being younger than Maes, yet the older man wanted to push his friend through the ranks, certain Roy was the best thing for Amestris. There was also the added skill that no normal officer could hope for, that of flame alchemy, but Maes had never viewed that as a benefit, but a dubious responsibility that he didn't want.

The reason he envied Roy had just stormed out of the colonel's office, ranting, raving, spouting venom to anyone in his path. For the first time in his life, Maes found himself attracted not only to someone younger, but someone who was only legal through his association to the military. And to the object of his current desire, his skilled performance to disguise those traits that might reveal him had made him little more than a joke, someone to be avoided unless there was a desire to be accosted with photos of little Elysia. He was a joke to Edward Elric, where Roy was a rival, an equal.

More importantly, they had the kind of relationship that great literature was written about, love-hate, oddly close, yet distant. The best Maes could hope for was as a fatherly figure, and perhaps that was best. Roy had no interest in anything that didn't have breasts and the teen would never notice Maes's caring nature to be anything more than his natural instinct as a parent.

"Damn bastard colonel," Ed said as he slammed the door shut to Roy's office.

"Ed, is something wrong?" Maes asked, and almost immediately saw the boy flinch, afraid Maes would be that character he'd created.

"Oh, hi Lieutenant Colonel," there was nervousness in his voice, and not the kind the older man wanted to hear. He could see Ed's eyes searching Maes's uniform for a sign that he would be reaching for photos. To prove him wrong, the dark-haired man folded his arms across his chest. The shorter teen noticeably relaxed, though he still seemed to be fuming.

"So, what is it, Ed?"

Amber eyes rolled. "Colonel Bastard."

"Anything more specific?"

"Do I need anything more specific?"

"Probably not."

Ed stuck his hands in his pockets, obviously, he wanted to rant to someone, so Maes gave the handsome young man the time to decide if he was the one to rave to.

"Well, he started off criticizing my handwriting. You know, he doesn't even consider that I used to be right-handed. Then, he went on about how much I destroy to get a job done. Like it really matters if a few warehouses collapse. Most of the time, I rebuild them, and usually better than they were before. Then when I decide to actually ask him about something important, he blows me off and sends me to you." He then added quickly. "No offense."

"None taken," Maes lied. That hurt, but he kept his calm demeanor and put a hand on Ed's shoulder, the automail one, feeling the moving steel beneath the red and black coats. "Why don't you come into my office? Or is Al waiting?"

"What?" Ed said, looking somewhat distracted. "Oh. No, Al's not waiting. I figured this could take a while. He's at the library right now."

They walked into Maes's office, Ed making himself as comfortable as possible despite the body language he was giving off that something more was at work here.

"So, you wanted to talk to Roy, and he sent you to me?"

"Well, yeah, I mean…" Ed was at a loss for words. That didn't usually happen, and crush or not, Maes would have been curious why. "It took me forever to get up the nerve to talk to him, and the moment I started to, he insisted that he wasn't the person to talk to, said you knew more of the specifics. I didn't need specifics. It was just a question about what the rules are with officers dating subordinates."

"Found someone you're interested in, Ed?"

"Maybe," Ed said, worrying his bottom lip with a set of straight, white teeth. "I just… well, I was curious, since certain rules are laid out for us about dating within units or being with people outside of your direct line of command, but I was just curious what happens if they are within your line of command."

"It's an offense worthy of court-martial, Ed. As is homosexuality."

"What?" Ed squeaked. "I never said anything about gay!"

"The walls aren't particularly thick, Ed, you might want to keep your voice down."

"Keep my voice down? How the hell am I supposed to do that, when you're saying things like, like that?"

"Ed, your direct line of command involves Roy, General Hakuro and the Fuhrer, and you have no one below you. I seriously doubt it's the general or the fuhrer who have you so bothered at the moment."

"Oh, shit," Ed said, burying his face in his hands. "He figured it out, too, didn't he? He figured out what I meant just as fast as you did."

"I think so."

"Not only does he know I'm…" Ed stopped there, apparently afraid to admit that final word. "But he knows I like him? Shit! I thought I was vague enough. Damn it!"

"Ed, it's okay. Believe it or not, Roy can be very understanding in this type of situation."

"Yeah right," Ed said. "That's why he pawned me off on you."

Again, Maes found himself touching the boy, putting his hands on both shoulders.

"Roy would have talked to you himself, but thought I might be better suited." Maes grabbed a chair and pulled it opposite Ed, slowly rubbing circles on the teen's back. "Ed, you aren't alone in this military."

"Then why is it the only time you hear rumors is just before someone gets caught?"

"Because most of the people in the military who prefer their own sex find ways of hiding it. They stay single and are never seen to date or flirt with anyone. They date too much."

"Like the colonel?" Ed asked, eyes looking up, hopeful.

"Yes, but the colonel, best friend or not, really is just a man-slut when it comes to women. He's not gay, Ed." There was a faint huff. "Then there are those who marry someone they trust, create a nice little family and a cover story for any rumor that might pop up. A wife, a child, a nice, happy home. Sometimes, they can be a little over-enthusiastic trying to keep up the cover."

The gold eyes looked up again. "You?"

Maes bowed his head in a single nod.

"Does Gracia know?"

"Yes. We have our agreements, and we're happy as things are. We're very good friends and benefit from having one another the way we do."

"I never would have expected, I mean, you're the biggest family man in the military." Ed leaned back in the chair, obviously in shock. "Is Elysia yours?"

"As far as I know."

"So you and Gracia have actually— I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask that."

"We have, Ed. And I love Elysia."

Ed sat and stared at Maes for a moment, looking completely stunned. Then, as he sat, looking past Maes's glasses and into those cat-green eyes, he began talking his thoughts aloud. "I never considered you, or at least not openly. I mean, I knew I hated how much you flashed the pictures of your family, but I never thought it might be that I was jealous."

Maes only smiled, pushing a piece of blond hair from Ed's cheek. "Jealous?"

"You smirk like he does!" Ed said, again sounding surprised.

"I do with the right people, yes. Who do you think taught him most of what he knows?" He took the chance, hoping that this little "talk" erased rather than instilled the image of Maes as a father figure in Ed's mind. He leaned in and brushed his lips against the teen's, watching with a pleased smile as those golden orbs widened and then closed and a metal hand found its way to the back of his neck, creating gooseflesh where it touched, though he was still unsure whether it was that touch or the kiss making the hairs on his neck stand on end.

He pulled away and ran a hand down Ed's cheek. "Perhaps we can continue with this later. See what happens?"

Nervously, Ed nodded, then startled looked to the locked door. "But now the colonel knows."

"So it's one more of us he's keeping a secret for."

"He really won't care that I'm—" Ed's hands fumbled a moment as he ran a thumb over his pocketwatch. "He won't care?"

"That you're gay? No, Roy won't care." Maes leaned in and whispered in the teen's ear, enjoying the little shiver that ran up the small spine as he did. "Though it does drive him nuts when he's being flirted with. It might be a better revenge than a tantrum when he starts making comments about your perfectly wonderful size."

"You like that I'm… not tall?" Ed was struggling so hard not to say short.

"I like that you're Ed Elric, and that you didn't slug me the moment I kissed you. I'll gladly take whatever comes with that package."

There was a faint blush to the tan cheeks as Ed stood, placing a kiss to Maes's stubbly cheek before he went to the door, smiling back at the older man before leaving.

Maes was really going to have to thank his friend, not to mention make up for the unnecessary jealousy he'd felt.


	2. Uncertainty

**Uncertainty**

Ed walked away from the Central office, hand to his lips, trying to wrap his mind around what he'd done, why he'd done it. He'd kissed Maes Hughes. Well, not exactly. Hughes—or would it be Maes after what they had shared?—had kissed him, but Ed hadn't been pushing him away when he did it. And now, his mind that had been preoccupied with thoughts of his commanding officer now found itself unable to shake images of the man he'd never taken seriously until today.

It was a shock, not only to find that he wasn't alone, even among the small circle of what were essentially his friends—or at least as close as he'd come to having friends—but to discover that the quintessential family man was gay and wanted him and looked at him the way he'd seen the colonel look at so many of his women. Ed was part automail, young, horribly inexperienced, temperamental, and… still growing, and yet, someone wanted him. That thought alone, regardless of the person from whom those sentiments were coming from, nearly made the alchemist skip down the street, and Ed did not skip. Ever.

He hadn't had a clue what to do when Maes kissed him. It was nothing like when he'd shared his first kiss with Winry. Neither had had anything to go on, but the lieutenant colonel was experienced, obviously, if that kiss was anything to go by. And Ed was not. The teen cursed himself for bringing his right hand to the back of the man's neck; he wasn't sure if that was a proper move on his part, but he sure as hell knew he shouldn't have used his automail to do it. Or if he had, it should have been covered in gloves, because Ed didn't want to ruin a potential something by reminding someone interested in him that he wasn't technically whole

And why had he done it in the first place? He'd had his targets on Colonel Mustang. Still did, truth be told, even though Lieutenant Colonel Hughes was rising through the ranks in Ed's mind faster than the aspiring furher. It wasn't as though he hadn't noticed Hughes before. There was no crime in noticing a married man. It was doing something with him, like, oh, say, kissing him in the middle of his office at the central command of the homophobic military, that was a crime, both literally and figuratively.

And though Ed knew Maes was not a liar, he couldn't help but wonder, what if he'd only told Ed that he had an open relationship with his wife to ease the young mind or to convince him to, well, do what they'd done. Gracia had always been so good to him, so kind, and Ed didn't want to hurt her. She was as close to a mother as Ed had really had since the death of his own, he didn't want to see her hurt, didn't want to be the cause of her husband's abandonment. At least his dad had left on his own and could be the sole person to blame; Ed would never want to shoulder that kind of guilt or cause that much sadness.Then came the disturbing thought he'd been trying to hold back from his mind all afternoon: If Gracia Hughes was like a mother to him, then Maes Hughes would be like a…

He couldn't finish it. He wouldn't finish it. That tiny kiss had been too good to finish that thought.

And what of the Colonel? Colonel Bastard surely wouldn't just accept this. Hell no, even if Ed had a little bit of a crush on the guy, not that he liked calling it something as girly as a crush, he wouldn't deny that his commanding officer was more than capable of using this kind of information to blackmail him, just as he did with those tiny little reminders that he was keeping the secret of Ed's attempts at human transmutation a secret because the Elric brothers were beneficial to him. Ed shuddered to think being that indebted to him. It already went against equivalent exchange that the colonel continued to have that much of a hold on him; no matter what Ed did in return, it wasn't equal to the information that Roy Mustang had held onto since Ed was only 11.

Then, he glanced at his reflection in the highly polished windows of the flower shop. He looked seriously confused not to mention resembled something of a cat who'd eaten the canary with the grin he was sporting. The Fullmetal Alchemist didn't grin, not like that.

Al would know, he'd be certain something was up, and Ed couldn't really begin to gauge his brother's reaction. Would he be grateful to know that there was no need to fight for Winry any more? Would he be angry because Ed's being gay would hurt Winry? Would he be disgusted, as much of his mindset remained like the rest of Risembool concerning gays? Would he hate Ed for it?

"Shit, shit, shit." Ed kicked at nothing. "Shit. Shit."

Well, at least the smile was gone, though he was probably more confused than ever.


	3. Unbiased Friendship

**Unbiased Friendship **

Roy knocked on the door to Maes's house. He hadn't really gotten to ask his friend how things went with Ed. If they went the way he knew his friend had wanted for a long time, then great for Maes; Roy would do his best to help him keep his cover. If they went the way Roy had hoped, Ed would permanently see the lieutenant colonel as a father figure because he'd essentially given him a "talk" of sorts, and Roy's concern that he'd have to face the disaster that either or both of the two would be caught together could be waylaid.

When he saw the twinkle in the cat-green eyes behind glasses the man had needed as long as Roy had known him, Roy knew things hadn't gone according to his plan. He sighed, resigning himself to the concept of having not only having Fullmetal's new secret to protect, but one between his oldest friend and young subordinate. Fine. It wasn't as though he hadn't held onto plenty. What were two more?

"So how are you feeling?" Roy asked, a bit of a smirk, and to his surprise, finding it returned. He didn't know when he'd last seen that smug look on his friend's face, but it usually meant that Maes was happy, and if he was happy, that was all that mattered. After all, how would Roy have felt if a law was passed saying that single men seeking a woman's bed outside of marriage were punishable through court-martial? Well, Roy'd have been kicked out of the military long ago and incarcerated indefinitely, but that was another issue altogether.

"Just fine." Maes looked to the two boxes of chocolates in Roy's hand. "Are those for me?" Maes made to grab for the larger box.

"No," Roy said, batting his hand away. "These are for the women of the house." Then, in a lower voice he muttered, "Though you come close to it."

In an equally low voice, Maes whispered in Roy's ear. "Bite me." Both men were smirking, Roy finding a long arm thrown around his shoulders as Gracia entered, Elysia still nowhere to be seen. "Really, Roy, you need to get yourself a wife."

Roy pried himself free of his friend's vice-like grip. "I think I'd rather have yours." He took Gracia's hand and kissed it. "That's what I'll do. When I become fuhrer, I'll force you to divorce Gracia so I can have her all to myself."

He twirled the woman a bit with his free arm, enjoying getting to hear her laugh for him.

"Oh, really? And how is that fair for all these years pushing you to the top?"

"Well," Roy said, wrapping an arm around his friend's wife and resting a chin on her shoulder as she stood with her back to him, "I suppose if we're blissfully happy, you can just go ahead and have Fullmetal to yourself, though that would probably be punishment in itself."

Then, suddenly, the levity in the room disappeared. What had he said?

"Fullmetal? As in fifteen-year-old Edward Elric?" Gracia's body had gone stiff in Roy's grip, and her face was pointed not at the man who'd asked the question, but at her husband. "A teenager, Maes?" Then, Roy found the stern gaze turned on him, making him feel like being a proper military dog and running away with his tail between his legs. "And you are going to support it?"

"It's not as though I took the boy on the desk, Gracia."

"Oh, Maes," Gracia and Roy groaned in unison.

"It was a kiss. Nothing more."

Gracia shook her head as she took the chocolates from Roy's other arm, walking to the kitchen to place them on the table. The two men exchanged looks, but Roy soon found himself being punched in the side, a gesture he readily returned. Both knew what each punch meant. Maes's being "why'd you open your mouth?" Roy's, "why didn't you tell her?"

When the woman re-entered, she looked very harshly up at Maes. "I hope you will have the common sense to take Ed's age into consideration. He is very young, and I don't want to see him hurt because you couldn't control yourself. If I ever find out he has been, I'm not going to be a widow of both my husband and my future husband." She looked pointedly at Roy.

At that, Elysia ran out of her bedroom, charging toward her father at breakneck speeds. "Daddy," she said, "I heard you talking about Ed. Will he be coming over? With Al?"

"I'm hoping so," Maes answered. "I'm hoping Ed will be over quite a bit."

"And Al?" She repeated, making it obvious which of the brothers she wanted to come over.

"Maybe Al too." Maes picked her up and kissed her tiny little forehead before tickling the little girl until she squealed.

"Hi Elysia," Roy said, patting her on the arm, finding her eying him warily.

"You wouldn't make Mommy and Daddy get a divorce, wouldn't you?" she asked, brows meeting as she attempted a confused scowl. Roy faltered for a moment, trying to consider his words before speaking, all the while wondering how much the girl had heard, and how much of that she had understood.

"Of course not. I was teasing your daddy." He looked up at Maes then over to Gracia. "It would take more than me to make your daddy leave your mommy."

At that, the little girl smiled.

"And you won't make my daddy live with Ed?"

"If your daddy wants to let Ed move in with him, that's his business, but I won't make him."

"You know what, Elysia, while we wait for mommy to get supper ready, we should show your Uncle Roy what you can do on your new bike." Roy was grateful for the bait and switch his friend had just played on his daughter, that was, until he found Maes grabbing his wrist with the hand that wasn't currently holding the thing most precious to him. "You'll just love it. She's just so cute."

As he was being forcibly led out of the house, he looked back, rolling his eyes at the woman standing in the foyer, who was trying to hold back a smile.


	4. Unfunny

Unfunny

Hawkeye looked at Ed strangely when he knocked on Mustang's door. He knew it was out of character for him, that by all rights, he should have been pounding on the door, storming into the office, but after what he'd all but blurted out to Mustang yesterday, he couldn't bring himself to chance losing the man's favor. It was too much of a risk.

"Come in, please," Mustang's voice called, sounding just a bit strained. 

Ed slowly opened the door, hearing the sound of Maes Hughes showing pictures of his daughter to the colonel. 

"Isn't she adorable? Look at her little tricycle, and she rides it like a pro." 

"Whoever you are, please get in here and save me from this lunatic." 

Ed poked his head in, unable to hide the fact that a flush had taken over his entire body at the sound of Hughes's voice. "Well, Fullmetal," the colonel said as his head poked in the office, "that was a change in entrances." 

Ed opened his mouth to say something, only to find Maes winking at him. The blond felt his entire face heat up. "Are you saying I can't act civilized?" Ed asked, his voice just a bit too quiet as he shut the door behind him. 

"I'm not saying it's impossible, just undemonstrated so far." 

Ed could feel that familiar anger, that rivalry boiling up inside of him, but when he saw two smug smirks looking back at him from the desk, all Ed could do was stand in front of the door, saying nothing. 

"So what do I owe this visit?" Mustang asked. 

"Well, I just wanted to…" How was Ed supposed to do this with the man who'd kissed him yesterday standing right in the room? How could he thank Mustang for not being an ass for once and sending him to said man rather than using the information of Ed's sexuality and crush against him? 

"He just wanted to let you know how sexy you are," Hughes said, trailing a finger over the front of Mustang's coat. 

"Lieutenant Colonel!" Ed yelled out, wanting to hit the older man for embarrassing him like that, but as he heard Mustang yell out as well, growing several shades of red, Ed realized that he wasn't the one Hughes was trying to make uncomfortable. 

Steeling himself to bring back his familiar confidence, Ed stepped forward. "That wasn't exactly the reason, but it's definitely true. Roy Mustang is dead sexy." 

"In a mini-skirt," Maes added with waggling eyebrows, earning a punch to his face from his so-called friend. 

"I'm demoting both of you. This instant." Looking as noticeably pale skin started to turn as red as his coat, Ed started laughing so hard he collapsed on the sofa. "And see if I help either of you with anything. Fullmetal, this isn't funny."

Tears were running down Ed's face as he laughed. And he really felt he could laugh here; it was obvious what Hughes had said about the colonel understanding was true, as he didn't seem to have any intention of doing anything but being supportive. As Ed continued, finding it impossible to stop, he couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed so hard, so freely. Apparently the two older men noticed, as Ed saw through teary eyes Maes elbowing the colonel, and even as put-upon as he appeared, he no longer seemed so angry. If Ed hadn't known better, he'd have said that his CO looked happy to see him so happy. 


	5. Unsparing Trust

**Unsparing Trust**

Roy leaned against the tree, a smirk on his face as he heard Fullmetal talking to his brother.

"I'm going to visit my second father and that smug bastard," he said, apparently doing his best not to technically lie to his brother. Roy had long been disowned of the title of smug bastard in deference to his long-time friend. "Why don't you just go back to the dorms?"

"Brother," Al said, taking that ever chastising tone, "that isn't very nice." 

Ed rolled his eyes. "Just go back to the dorms. I'll be there soon enough." 

Al shook his helmet of a head and walked away, muttering something about his stubborn brother. Roy's smirk turned into a full-out smile as he waited for Ed to walk by. He grabbed hold of the automail arm as he went by. 

"I don't think Maes would appreciate you calling him that." Roy grinned down at the blond. 

"Which one?" Ed asked. 

"Either." Roy released the young man's arm, walking beside him in the strange comfort that overtaken the commanding officer and his subordinate in the last month. Ed was with Maes, and that was fine. Roy only found it slightly disturbing that Ed had called Roy a second father, yet was dating a man older than him. Or was it even dating, since the blond had only managed a few make-out sessions with Maes thus far? 

Roy winced at the unpleasant mental image. 

"So, did Maes talk to you about guys' night out?" Roy asked as they walked into the Central Headquarters. 

"Yeah, but I still don't understand why it's so important to him that I be there to watch you and the rest of your team get yourselves drunk." 

Roy shook his head as he lifted the flaps on his uniform to jam his hands in his pockets. "I think you're missing the point." Ed looked up at him, eyebrow raised. "Maes sometimes comes to these, and I'm sure he will if you are going to be there. He's not a very heavy drinker, but once you get enough liquor in the others, well, Havoc and Breda aren't going to notice anything, and Fuery will be too busy being entertained by them to really care what else is going on." 

Roy knew the kid was a genius, really he did, but at the moment, the young prodigy was being so dense, it made the older man question why on earth he'd thought the teen was capable of being a state alchemist in the first place. 

"You, Maes and I will sit in a booth. No one will think anything of it, and you two will probably make me uncomfortable all night long." 

"You mean this would be a…" Roy chuckled at Ed's struggle to say the word "date." "And Maes wants to… not just at the office… And you're willing to cover..." 

Roy waited until they were at the doors, not wanting to continue this conversation in front of some of his more nosy subordinates. He opened the door to his office, shutting it behind them, all the while ignoring Riza's expression of understated surprise at the ease with which the two now spoke to one another. Having Ed no longer lusting after him… Roy shook his head, trying to dislodge that thought as unsuccessfully as he had so many others since Maes had decided to be with the teenager... Well, with Ed having someone to be interested in who wasn't Roy had definitely paved the way for a comfortable friendship between them, one that damned Hawkeye—curse the person who named her so accurately—had not failed to notice. 

"I'm not saying you will be able to try to swallow his face whole like you did in my office last week," he said in an annoyed tone, still trying to shake the memory of his best friend and young subordinate in a lover's embrace on _his_ sofa, in his office, with the door unlocked. "This will be a public setting, and we can't exactly have that." 

Ed only nodded, his head tilted downward as he watched his fidgeting hands. 

"What is it, Fullmetal?" 

"Is it a date, though? I mean, I've never… Do I bring chocolates, or… no… public setting, it wouldn't be right. But should I dress up? Because I don't have much more in my wardrobe but this." He gestured with his gloved hands to his ever present red and black ensemble. 

"It's just the men from the office, Fullmetal. We'll all probably still be in uniform, maybe partial uniform. Breda tends to end up down to his undershirt and pants by the end of the night. Less if you give him tequila." Roy smiled as Ed blinked away the unpleasant image; serves him right. "So you will be fine." Ed sat down on the sofa, not looking a bit comforted by those words. Roy sat beside the small teen, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to worry about the way you're dressed, or how you look, Fullmetal, Maes is completely enamored with you. And if you've been around him when he talks about Gracia or Elysia, you should know how he gets when he's completely head over heels about something." 

It wasn't very often that Ed looked timid, even uncomfortable, usually putting up a tough façade, but over the last month, that had slowly come down as the teen struggled to find an understanding ear that wasn't attached to the same person who spent hours each week kissing and petting him. At these moments, it was when Roy hated to admit he felt fatherly to the boy—despite the logistics of only a 13 year age difference—and wanted to try and make him feel better. 

"You do realize how much Maes likes what you wear now, don't you, Ed?" 

"Huh?" 

"All I hear about when you're not around is how much he thinks about you, and how much he loves the leather pants." 

Ed flushed a bit at that, as did Roy. He felt a familial affection to the teen, which didn't mean he felt comfortable telling him how often Maes talked about how "good Ed's ass looks in black leather." 

"Listen, Ed, just come as you are. The only problem we'll have is convincing the bartender that you're not twelve, since you'll need a footstool to see over the bar." 

"You damned bastard!" Ed yelled, smacking Roy hard with both hands. Just because they were on better terms didn't mean he didn't take every possible opportunity to make a short joke at the younger man's expense. 


	6. Underage

**Underage**

Maes sat in his office, the door securely locked, with a lapful of the People's Alchemist. He had undone the teen's braid, and would be lectured about it, but as their tongues mingled and familiarized themselves once again, it wasn't high on Maes's list of concerns. At the moment, he was enjoying the feeling of being kissed to the point of near exhaustion, in the way that only a teenager can do. Maes was sure when the two of them managed to separate themselves, his lips would be numb.

What he wouldn't give to have been able to do this somewhere than his office, to be able to walk in public and proudly proclaim that he was crazy for the young blond, not that he really thought that would be wise, as the young man was still underage.

Now, if his mind could only remind his body of that, as with each twist of his hips, Ed managed to reawaken a rather uncontrollable portion of the older man's anatomy. As he held the firm, tightly packed, little body in his arms—not that the word "little" would ever escape his lips around Ed—he considered all the reasons this should be illegal, none of those reasons having to do with age or immaturity but with the mush the teen had turned Maes's once bright mind into.

Finally, Maes broke off the kiss, simply holding onto Ed as tightly as he could, enjoying that the teen willingly relaxed in his arms, laying his head on a uniform-clad shoulder. He fit so well in the older man's arms that Maes almost wished he would stay about this size, really desperately trying not to laugh at the idea of Ed being a lap-dog of the military. If he sniggered, even the tiniest bit, Ed would ask him with those big gold eyes of his, and Maes would be unable to do anything but tell the truth. He'd be as good as dead.

"Well, Ed," he said, running his smooth but thickly calloused hands through the long blond hair, "are you ready for guys' night out?"

"Mmm," Ed said, drawing himself into Maes's body, making the older man scratch that last thought; Ed was more cat than dog. "I'd rather let them all go out and have the office here to myself."

The part of Maes below his waist whole-heartedly agreed, but he reminded all parts south that Ed was still very young and very much a virgin. So far, nothing had gone on between them except moments like this, where they kissed and explored one another's mouths, hands doing a bit of touching over clothes.

"Ed, I'd really like to be able to go out with you tonight," he said as he ran his hand over the teen's hair. "And as good as staying here in the office sounds, there will be talk if we never left."

Ed sighed and tucked his body tightly between Maes's chin and his legs. Again, it was a reminder of the teen's height that he was small enough to manage this, and his youth, as only someone so young could transform himself into a small ball.

"Come on. Up." Ed stretched his muscular limbs. "You're too heavy for me to haul out of here."

Ed climbed off of Maes's lap, and as the older man stood and kissed him on the forehead before going to unlock the door.

0o0o0o0

A few hours later, and some convincing (lying, really) on Roy and Maes's part that Ed was old enough to be allowed inside, found Ed in the bar, Roy on his left, Maes on the other side of his friend. As he'd always done, Maes threw his arm around Roy, in an act seeming to be that of friendship, merely so he could stick his fingers in the blond's still-loose locks.

The waitress came over with their drink order. "You three are so much more quiet than your friends over there."

That was definitely true, as Havoc and Breda seemed to be doing everything they could to embarrass Fuery and rattle Falman. They were getting fairly loud and obnoxious in their attempts, but the new couple flanking Roy remained quiet, the three talking and laughing, but never getting too boisterous.

"You're Edward Elric, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yes," Ed answered, somewhat proudly.

"I've heard a lot of great stories about you. You have done some amazing things, and you are still so young."

Ed thanked her, his chest puffing out a bit. Maes could see that Roy seemed to be taking in just a bit of that pride for himself as the superior officer, Maes just feeling pleased for his lover. A signal to that, Maes squeezed the smaller young man's shoulders, finding a set of golden eyes looking at him from behind the colonel.

"I was somewhat surprised to see you here. I didn't realize you were old enough to come into a bar."

"Who you calling so small he's a toddler!" Ed yelled, starting to rise from his seat, but only resulting in getting his hair pulled by Maes's hand still curled around a few locks.

"Sorry about that, Fullmetal," Roy said. "Uniform has the tendency to do that to overly long hair."

Taking that signal, as Roy pretended to loosen Ed from his uniform, Maes released the hair he'd been running his fingers over. As the Waitress left them, apparently taken back by Ed's sudden reaction, which was expected by anyone who actually knew him, Maes once again found himself looking at yellow eyes. This time, though, there was a bit of mirth in those eyes, one that let Maes know something was going on before there was a sudden yelp from Maes's long-time friend.

"Get. Your. Hand. Off. My. Leg." Roy seemed to be doing everything he could to maintain his voice level. "Learn which of us is your boyfriend," he added with a hiss.

Ed's arm quickly retracted, a blush turning his face the color of a tomato. Maes chuckled to himself at his boyfriend's mistake.

"W-well, now I understand why you are so popular with the ladies," Ed said. Though it was still somewhat uncertain, as insults and yelling were more his style with Roy, it was obvious he was gaining some confidence in inuendos.

The teen's teacher of insinuating teasing found himself laughing himself simple at Roy's side.

"I'm trying to do a favor for the two of you," Roy said, "and you go groping me and making jokes."

Soon enough, Ed was laughing just as hard, drawing the other men over to find out what was so funny. Quick to his feet, Maes came up with an excuse, yet again at Roy's expense. He realized now that the others were there, his semi-private time with Ed would be over.

But leave it to Roy to move Ed from the bench while he went up for more drinks, only to make the blond scoot closer to Maes when he came back, allowing them to sit side-by-side, hands on one another's knees, finally feeling that despite all the noise and the overcrowded booth, they were really on their first date.


	7. Unconditional Love

Unconditional Love

It was the most sickening thing he'd had to do in a very long time, Ed was sure. Not sickening in the way of the chimera of Nina Tucker had been, but sickening in that gut-wrenching nervousness sort of way. This was inevitable, telling the family—Elysia excluded—yet its inevitability didn't mean Ed had to like it.

Earlier that week, when things had been proceeding nicely, though somewhat fast, Maes with a hand inside of Ed's black shirt and skimming over his tank beneath, the guilt had hit the teen so hard, he was certain he'd fall through every floor of the Central headquarters under its weight. He was enjoying himself without al knowing and still unsure if Mrs. Hughes even knew. He was doing things that Al still couldn't because his little brother was still in the suit of armor Ed felt he'd essentially forced him into. 

And now, when he should have been using his extra time to find ways to get Al out, he was busy making out with his boyfriend behind Al's back. 

All that guilt had ruined the moment and Ed had insisted that he and Maes stop all actions until they'd spoken to their families. 

Standing in front of Maes's house, knowing what waited him, Ed found himself unable to move. With every bit of will that he had, Ed took the necessary steps toward the door, raised his hand and began knocking. He knew Elysia was at a friend's house, but found himself horribly uncomfortable with the idea of either adult in the house answering the door. How should he react if it were Maes? Despite the fact that they were together, there had been no discussions on how they should behave. Then there was the idea that it would be Gracia, and he found himself fidgeting in his spot. 

The door opened to the warm and gentle face of Gracia Hughes. She was smiling down at him. 

"Come in, Ed. Maes is inside." 

She couldn't know, Ed thought as he nodded and walked inside. She would never treat him so kindly if she knew. Once the door was shut behind him, her smile faded slightly, concern evident in her eyes. 

"Before I go in to talk to him, I need to tell something to you, Mrs. Hughes." 

"Really, Ed," she said, "if you're dating my husband, I think you can call me Gracia." 

"Oh," he said, feeling the blood rushing to his face. 

"Maes has never hid anything from me," she said, putting her hand on Ed's shoulder, "and I doubt he could have hidden you if he wanted to. I've seen how contemplative and pleased he gets. I suppose that was your doing." 

Again, Ed found he was blushing at the compliment—well, he supposed that's what it was. 

"Where's Al?" she asked, bringing back that all-too-familiar feeling of guilt. 

"Ro-Colonel Mustang is bringing him along later. I wanted to talk to you first." 

Gracia nodded. "Ed, I can see that you care for Maes, and I'm glad for it, but I can't exactly give my stamp of approval on this." 

Ed opened his mouth to argue, feeling surprisingly indignant at the woman he respected so much. 

"Ed, in a few years, I might be a very big supporter of this relationship between yourself and Maes, but in relationships, you are immature, and I simply worry that you or Maes will be hurt. Maybe both." 

"Mrs. Hughes," Ed said, purposely ignoring her request to call her by her first name, "I am inexperienced, but it doesn't mean I'm being immature. I am here tonight to talk to you and Al, to be open and honest about all of this." 

Ed folded his arms across his chest, defiantly. "I care for Maes and thanks to that goofy bastard, I'm right along with him, pushing Roy to the top, just in hopes that the man will make the changes that Maes and I will be together without hiding. And, I'm telling my brother because, even though Al will always come first, but Maes is second to him. That isn't a decision I made on the spur of the moment." 

"You still will not get my approval, but I will not stand in your way—and I wouldn't have before your speech. But at least you've shown me you've thought this out." 

0o0o0o0 

Sitting at the near-silent dinner table, Ed looked over at Al for what must have been the tenth time that evening. 

"Brother, what is it? I feel like I've been brought here for a reason that I'm still in the dark about." 

Ed sighed, feeling an encouraging hand at his knee, which entwined with his glove covered automail hand. Across the table from Ed and his boyfriend, a pair of sympathetic onyx eyes encouraged him on as well. 

"Al, I know that I should be doing more to find ways to bring your body back, and I know I have no right to even be questioning or exploring things about myself—" 

"Brother? You know I want you to research about your body too—" 

"This isn't exploration like that, Al." Damn it, he was turning red again. 

"What do you… oh, OH!" Al said with the sounds of dawning realization. "You found a girl, Ed? Is it Winry?" 

"No, it's not Winry," Ed said, quickly. He followed with, "I'ts not even a girl." 

"A-a boy, Brother? Are you, do you think you might be… gay?" 

"I am, Al. No thinking, no maybe. I like other guys, Al, and some of the time that I," Ed faltered a moment. "that I should have been researching, I've been seeing someone, a man, Al." 

"Is that why you've been visiting the colonel so often and you don't fight as much?" Al seemed to recovered quickly and glossed totally over his brother's coming out, much to Ed's surprise. 

"What?!" Roy said, face completely overtaken in shock. "Alphonse Elric, I will have you know that while stories of my promiscuity are exaggerated, my partners are entirely female." 

"But, Brother, you've only spent your time with the colonel and Lieutenant Colonel Hughes." 

"Al," Maes said, lifting his hand, and Ed's with it, setting them both on the table, still clasped together. 

0o0o0o0

The explanations had taken forever, Al lecturing Maes for almost an hour on various things, starting with treating Ed properly, moving on to using marriage and family as a cover, and finally asking how Elysia would take this. This last part had led to another story at Roy's expense, much to Ed's delight, as it was explained that the young girl knew her parents almost never shared a bedroom, and already suspected both had "boyfriends." Apparently, she had once asked Roy whose boyfriend he was, her mommy's or daddy's. 

Now, as they walked home, Ed was in the midst of receiving another lecture for hiding this from his little brother. Unfortunately for Ed, all he could manage to do was smile at the feeling of all that weight off his shoulders. 

"Brother, are you listening?" 

"Not really," Ed confessed, then looked up at the suit of armor with a frown just before throwing his arms around the solid metal. "Honestly I thought that I wanted to do this, even though I wish you could feel it." 

Al had accepted him, as he was, no questions asked. That was worth even more than anything he could possibly think of, to know that no matter what, his brother would stand by him. It didn't matter that where they came from, that in Risembool, Ed would be a freak, that even their adoptive family would probably never accept him. Al would. 

"Brother, I don't remember you being this, well, touchy-feely." 

"You have Maes to thank or blame for it." 

"You're really happy, aren't you?" 

"Now that I don't have to feel like I'm sneaking around behind your back? Yeah, I am." 


	8. Unworthy Friend

**Unworthy Friend**

When Maes received the phone call about Ed from Lt. Ross, he couldn't remember running so fast to his lover's side. Even Elysia had known something was very, very wrong and was upsetting her daddy. He'd rubbed the little girl's head telling her he was going to visit Ed at the hospital, but that everything would be fine.

Maes knew he should have been expecting this after Ed had come to him in tears admitting he knew what the philosopher's stone was, how it was made. Maes had held the younger man in his arms and tried to comfort him, tried to tell him that everything would be okay. He also should have expected Ed to run blindly into Laboratory Five, to get himself hurt, but he hadn't wanted to. 

When Maes reached the hospital, he dismissed Ross and Broche from the room, and Al, kindly, left him alone with the bandaged figure of his brother. 

"Ed," Maes said, taking a chair beside the bed, putting the teen's hand in his own, "what the hell did you do?" 

"No 'how are you' or even a kiss for your injured boyfriend?" 

"Not when he's been an idiot. Why didn't you tell me everything you suspected? I'm in charge of investigations. I could have done something to stop it." 

"And you'd have had to go through the fuhrer," Ed said. "You can't tell me you entirely trust him, do you?" 

"No," Maes admitted. 

"There you go." Ed sighed, then his eyes shot open. "Oh, shit, what if this room's bugged?" 

"It isn't. I've already checked." Again, Ed sighed. 

"I damaged my automail," Ed said. "Winry's going to be here in about three days. I'm sure I'll have more injuries after she's done with me. And Al, he's not… well, he's not acting like himself. I think he's mad at me, and I don't know why." 

Maes knew how much it meant to Ed to have his brother supporting him, caring for him. Carefully, the older man caressed Ed's cheek and brushed back his hair. "Do you know what happened?" 

"No," Ed said, "he won't talk about it. I think he blames me, Maes, for putting him in that armor, for mom, maybe even for being with you…" 

Maes kissed Ed's forehead. "None of those things have bothered him before. It has to be something new, something Al hadn't considered before or that someone else said. Are you sure he's mad at you?" 

"He's hardly spoken to me and he only stays in the room because it's like he feels he has to. Normally, he'd have never left it, even if you were coming to visit me as my boyfriend. You'd have just had to maneuver around him." Maes nodded and stood. "Where are you going?" 

"To talk to your brother. I'll be right back." 

"Maes wait—" Ed called after him as he left the room to seek out the large suit of armor, not a difficult task, considering the sheer size of Alphonse Elric. 

"Alphonse," Maes said, the tone in his voice that he used on the rare instances he had to chastise Elysia, "you and I need to talk about the way you are treating your brother." 

"Are you even sure he _is_ my brother?" Alphonse asked. 

"Al, what are you talking about?" Maes pulled the armor into a nearby storage room. 

"Other than a picture of what's supposed to have been me as a little boy, I don't have any proof I existed." There was hurt in the armor's voice. "And what proof there might have been was in the house when we burned it up. How do I know my brother didn't make me up? Make a companion to keep with him so he wouldn't be lonely?" 

"Alphonse Elric, if I could smack you without breaking my hand, I would," Maes growled. "If you were just a made-up companion, would your brother be in the other room half-sick that you hate him, thinking you blame him for putting you in the armor, for trying the transmutation that got you there? Would he be sick because his only family is barely speaking to him when he's injured?" 

"Mr. Hughes, you don't understand. I don't have any proof that I was ever alive, that I ever existed, or that I even exist now. Do you know what that's like? Even brother at least knows he is here." 

"Right," Maes said, "and the biggest proof is how much he's hurting right now because of you." Unfortunately, the older man realized he'd slipped into being an overprotective boyfriend and decided to change courses to try to see things from the point of view of the younger man. "Look, Al, I really believe you are Alphonse Elric, brother to that young man in the next room, but if it helps, I will do some investigation to see if I can find out anything different." 

There was a sigh, though there could be no breath to actually cause it from the armor. "Thank you, Mr. Hughes." 

"Always, Al. Now, get your ass in there with your brother while I ask my team to see what information they can find on you." 

It had taken a few days for Maes to find anything, but when he had, he immediately handed over copies of old vaccination records, homeschooling tests, and a birth certificate, all of which proved Al very much existed. It had been a happy moment to be able to prove to the doubting younger brother that Ed really was his brother and really did love him for it. Even Ed, who didn't always show his gratitude so easily had kissed Maes and thanked him for getting the research done. 

Today was Ed's birthday, Elysia's too, and at the moment, Maes was playing the perfect father and husband as a dozen four-year-olds ran around his house and their parents obnoxiously tried to carry on a conversation about one meaningless thing or another. 

Naturally, he wanted to celebrate the two birthdays, but when these couples were prattling on about the rising cost of milk or their latest promotion at work, he could hardly keep himself from pointing out just how stupid they were all behaving. He knew something was wrong with the Furher's secretary and had some serious doubts about what might or might not be wrong with the Fuhrer, himself. He knew that no matter what it was that was going on, it would mean very bad things for his boyfriend and his best friend. Something very bad was on the horizon, and he could feel it. 

At the moment, he was trying to ignore the parents of one of the brattiest little boys Maes had ever met. It was nearly time to open the presents, after which, he would go and visit the young man he'd fallen very much in love with. 

The door opened to the crisp and cold air as Winry Rockbell stormed through, only managing a few brief hellos to Maes's family before heading upstairs to the guest room where she stayed. With a sidelong glance at Gracia, Maes signaled that he was going to see what was wrong with the teenager and was following behind her. 

"Miss Rockbell," Maes said as he knocked on the door. "Winry?" 

"You can come in, Mr. Hughes." 

Maes opened the door to find the young woman packing. "Leaving so soon?" 

"I can't stay," she said, looking as though she was going to cry. "I just can't." 

"Did Ed say something to you that a wrench to the head couldn't fix?" Maes asked, trying to sound jovial about the method of abuse his boyfriend regularly suffered under at Winry's hands. 

"It wasn't something he said," Winry answered, folding her robe into the suitcase. "It was Al. He was talking to Ed about how much better he felt about things, that Ed's…" She paused. "I'm not happy with Ed now, but you can't say anything about this, Mr. Hughes. Please promise me that." 

"Of course," he said, curious what exactly had gotten her so upset and concerned about other people finding out. 

"He said that Ed's boyfriend had found out information about him so that their fight would stop. I thought Al was joking, that Colonel Mustang or someone that Ed spends a lot of time around had found the information, but Al actually meant a boyfriend. Ed didn't even deny it." 

"Was he supposed to?" Maes asked, trying to keep his tone even. 

"He would if he had any decency." Winry's jaw was set tightly. "People aren't supposed to be… that way." 

"Really? From my understanding, a decent percentage of the people of Amestris are 'that way,' as you put it. I think it would be even higher if there weren't so many people in the world who showed the very kind of disgust you are displaying tonight." 

"Are you saying that you actually approve of the way Ed is?" 

"Absolutely," Maes said, glaring at the girl, too far gone to try to hide how much he hated her at the moment for the words coming out of her mouth and for what she undoubtedly said to Ed. "I see you are packing, Miss Rockbell, and I am grateful for it because I do not want someone with such prejudices having any influence over my daughter. You will finish packing your belongings, say goodbye to my daughter because she still looks up to you, and get on the first train out of Central. If you decide to come back, I guarantee you that this house will not be open to you unless you attitude has taken a drastic shift. 

"I have known about Ed for some time, and if I hear you are making any trouble for him either by telling him how much it disgusts you that he prefers his own gender or by telling anyone else that he does, I swear to you, I will dig up whatever dirt I can manage to find on you, your family and the business you share with your grandmother. Your life will be ruined far faster than you can blink." 

Winry looked at him blankly for a minute in shock. Rather than wait to hear what new filth might leave her mouth, Maes left her gaping in shock and walked out of his house. 

0o0o0o0 

Arriving at the hospital, Maes climbed up the stairs to the roof, where he'd spotted the two brothers sparring, obviously to let Ed take out some of his anger in a more constructive manner than he was probably considering at the moment. 

He watched as Ed cursed at Winry, at himself, at the world as he kicked and punched at the suit of armor who willingly took each blow, putting up only necessary defense. 

"Ed?" Maes said, softly. Ed stopped what he was doing and looked over at the older man. 

"Mr. Hughes," Al said, "Winry was here—a" Ed practically growled at the mention of Winry's name. "—and she said some things about Ed being gay." 

"I know. I just tossed the obnoxious teen out of my house." Maes made the short distance over to Ed. "She won't be staying with me, and we'll find someone who's just as good or better to repair your automail from now on, Ed. I swear it." At that, he pulled the blond into his arms, holding the teen tightly to his chest. "Ed, don't let her or people like her ever make you feel bad about what you are." 

"She was my oldest friend," Ed said, his voice cracking as he tried not to cry. 

"Yes, and she is also blind in her prejudice. When she realized you were gay, everything about you disappeared to her. She may one day realize how foolish she is, but trust me that it is her own fault for not seeing the brilliant young man whom I love." 

The blond head snapped up. "I love you, too." 

Maes kissed Ed softly, reminded only by the noise of awkwardly clanking armor that Al wasn't quite comfortable being present for this tender moment. The kiss ended, and Maes once again held tightly to the smaller body. 

"Mr. Hughes is right, Ed. Winry is being very stupid, especially on your sixteenth birthday to say those kinds of things." 

"Remember, Ed," Maes said, "you'll always have Al and I, even Gracia and Roy who love you regardless." 

Ed squeezed tightly to Maes. "Thank you. Both of you." 


	9. Unfamiliar Territory

**Unfamiliar Territory**

Ed fidgeted nervously in the bed, his bottom lip drawn into his mouth. He'd wanted to do this before he had to leave to see his teacher. Really, he'd wanted to do this after his birthday, but being injured Maes would only kiss and gently show affection. Sitting with his knees drawn up to his chest, he smiled at the memory of his teacher trying to intimidate Maes. 

While everyone else in Central seemed absolutely terrified of Izumi Curtis, Maes Hughes had genially smiled at her, showing pictures of his daughter, talking about Ed, and in general not managing to be fazed by even the most intimidating of glares by the alchemist. He was kind, even allowing Ed's teacher to have a place in his home, one traditionally held by Winry. 

This room, Ed reminded himself. Whenever Winry had stayed, Maes had vacated his room both to give her a space to stay and to keep up  
the appearances of a happy home. This was also where Teacher and Mr. Curtis had stayed all because Maes cared about Ed and knew how important those two people were to him. 

And now, today, Ed wanted to show his lover—he could call him that, he felt, after they'd touched one another a few nights before—how important he was to him. Looking down at himself, Ed wondered how Maes would prefer him. Would he like Ed to be fully clothed, like a present ready to be unwrapped? Or would Maes like him ready and waiting, with only Maes's clothing as an impediment to finally consummating their relationship. 

Ed rolled his eyes at his own inner monologue. "Consummating their relationship?" He wanted to have hot, passionate sex with the man he loved. He wanted to forget the age difference or the constraints of society and just be with Maes tonight. Elysia and Gracia were both gone, and Ed and Maes had the house to themselves. Roy, who'd stopped in Central on business, had even been considerate enough to take Al to see one of those mushy movies he was always talking about that Ed never wanted to see. 

"Well, that was a long phone conversation," Maes said from the hall. He'd been talking with Shezka about some worries with the fuhrer and his secretary. 

In that split second, Ed decided he wanted to give Maes no doubts about what he wanted tonight. He tossed off his black jacket and shirt, throwing them onto the floor. He carefully wiggled out of both the leather pants and his boxer shorts, and was in the process of removing his socks when Maes finally came through the door, looking more than a little surprised. 

"Ed," Maes said, "what are you doing?" 

Despite the fact that he knew his face was growing redder by the second, Ed smirked and threw the remaining sock on the floor and faced Maes. "What does it look like?" 

"Well, it looks like I'm seriously overdressed for whatever you have planned." Maes smirked, as he began to pull the red sweater over his head. 

"Maes," Ed said, trying to ignore that he was at half-staff as he spoke to the older man, "I want to…" How should he put this without sounding like an idiot? "… make love?" 

"Ed, that's a very big step." 

"We've touched, you've even…" Again, Ed found his face betraying him by growing crimson. "You've even given me head, so why is this so different? Maes, I want to do this before I have to go to the automail shop for repairs and then visit my teacher. I want to do this before I'm gone and trying to search for the stone. When the automail's fixed, you and I both know I've got to go back to looking for it. As long as it isn't working quite right, we can… well, we can finally go through with this." 

Maes took a few steps toward the naked teen. "And you're sure this is what you want?" he asked, running a hand down Ed's cheek. 

Ed nodded, never breaking eye contact with the cat green eyes. "You've set up an appointment for me in Rush Valley to get my automail fixed, so I won't be here for a while, and we both know my teacher's going to make me visit her." Then, as though realizing his state of dress all over again, Ed flushed. "And I'm standing in front of you buck naked." 

"That you are," Maes said with a somewhat perverted leer. There was a time when Ed might have thought he was joking, but the teen knew his lover really found him attractive and the leer was genuine in the fact that Maes actually thought he was attractive. "Then, it would seem I'm seriously over-dressed." 

Ed smiled and nervously fidgeted with the older man's belt. His hands were shaking as he tried to unfasten the thing, as he felt the two hands, callused by years of knife throwing, rubbing over his bare back and shoulders. 

"I love you, Ed," Maes said. 

"I love you too," Ed responded. "That's why I want to do this." 

Ed's body contrasted deeply with the taller man in nearly every conceivable way. Ed's was small but tightly packed with muscles. He had a golden-hue to his ever-present tan, which stood in sharp contrast to the gleaming steel of his automail. Inch by inch of the intelligence expert was revealed to Ed, the pale skin dusted by fine black hairs. His build was tall and broad, the muscles hidden beneath a bit more flesh than on Ed's own body, but his body was nothing to laugh about. 

Maes then took off his glasses and laid them gently on the dresser. Ed glanced at the other man's member, which was standing nearly erect as his own. Ed backed himself against the bed, taking a seat as his lover pulled off his socks and sat beside him. 

"I want you to show me how it's done, Maes," Ed said. 

"Gladly," the older man answered." 

"I'm not saying you're always going to top," the teen said. "I want you to this time." With a grin, he added, "And if you're any good, we'll see about you getting to do it again." 

Maes smiled as he pushed Ed back onto the bed, leaning over him, kissing the teen so hard on his lips that he was certain it might bruise them. It was fierce, passionate, loving, just like Ed knew he was, even if so many others would never see him more than as the fool that he portrayed for the rest of the world. Unconsciously, Ed realized he was smiling because he was one of the few privileged to see the man behind the mask. 

He kissed back, hands moving to the dark hair of the man's head. His right leg found its way to Maes's hips as he slowly began to pull the other man close enough to grind himself against the other man's body. 

"Please, Maes," Ed asked, trying not to wince at the begging tone in his voice. "Please." 

The older man moved to the table by the bed, removing a tube of lube they'd purchased a few nights ago and was already nearly gone. 

"Ed," Maes said, kissing the other man's neck and chest, "you look incredible." 

The older man began moving down Ed's sensitive body, stopping first at a nipple, which he proceeded to take into his mouth, making the young man's body arch up against Maes's. 

"Oh, damn, Maes." 

Maes continued to bite at the brown nub, all the while tugging the other one between his fingers. Ed became little more than a moaning, whining mass beneath his ministrations. 

Maes moved lower, nipping, licking, kissing. Ed squirmed all the while, trying to both move into and away from his touch. 

Finally, the older man made his way down to Ed's member, immediately taking the head into his mouth, as he held the teen down with the hand grasping the lube. He was certain to buck upwards into Maes's mouth, and he was definitely making the best possible attempt at it. 

Their moans were getting louder, as Maes was obviously getting turned on by Ed's reaction, but Ed was dominating the sound from the bedroom. The sensations going through him were absolutely amazing him. He'd never realized how different the sensations were when done by someone else, and with the other man's mouth… 

As an atheist, Ed didn't believe in a heaven, but if there was such a thing, he'd have to say the feeling must be something like it was when Maes did this to him. 

Maes then began squirting out the lube, and Ed tried his hardest not to tense. He knew what was coming, ultimately, as they'd tried it the night before. He knew that his natural reaction to tense would make things more difficult, so he began focusing his breathing, trying to relax himself for the invasion to come. 

And when it did, he was grateful for how calm Maes was, starting off as though it was only an intimate massage. There was a gentle manner there as the first finger made its way into him, but he couldn't help but grunt as he felt this little, wiggling thing inside him, in a place his body just wasn't ready to recognize as an entrance. Every part of him, particularly the ring of muscles, was rebelling and arguing, "That's an exit, damn it!" 

But then Maes took more of Ed into his mouth and rebelling subsided. "Aaah! Maes!" 

The finger moved further and the mouth continued to open and take him in, and coherent thought left Ed's mind. Another finger started to make its way inside, and Ed tried to resist the need to squirm away from it. 

But the finger was persistent, and Ed began whimpering embarrassingly at the feeling of his entrance being stretched wider. 

Then, Maes released his member, looking up at the blond from his position. "Ed, if you want, we will stop." 

"No," Ed said. "No, keep going. It's not hurting. It's just strange." 

Maes nodded, his fingers continuing to move, mouth resuming its work on Ed's member. The strange burning sensation was fading, and though it was feeling strange, he couldn't say it felt bad. 

He could feel the two digits were now buried up to their bottom knuckles and seemed to be searching for something, searching for what Maes had said would make this feel… 

"Oh, shit!" He bucked upwards into the poor man's mouth, nearly choking Maes. "More, do that… more…" His voice was getting raspier with each outcry, and it seemed to be turning on his older lover as he began moaning even as he continued to bob his head. It wasn't long before Maes hit that spot again, and was now working to add a third finger, a final finger, Ed realized, because he wasn't going to let this continue. He wanted the man inside of him. He wanted to solidify their relationship. 

Finally, Maes was leaning down over Ed, fingers withdrawn. "Ed, I need you to roll over, hands and knees. It would be easier on you." Ed nodded, kissing the older man even as he tried to ignore the fact that the taste on the other man's tongue was his own. He inhaled the smell of the other man as he wrapped his arms around him. 

"We'll do this again facing one another, won't we?" 

"Yes," Maes said. "We will." 

Ed turned away from his lover, lowering his head down on his arms, raising his behind in the air. If this was anyone else, he would have felt horribly vulnerable, but with it being Maes, he knew he could trust the other man. He hissed in surprise as he felt something blunt at his backside. "Maes, please," he said, after he regained himself so that he could manage to think enough to ensure his lover knew there were no doubts here. 

Maes was slow as he breached the ring, gentle in his movements, and because he was aware of that, Ed tried to keep any questioning or pained noises to himself. It hurt. There was no denying how much it hurt him, but he knew it would get better. Maes had assured him of that, and he trusted the other man. At least, he did at the moment. But if things didn't soon start feeling a little better, he'd have to hurt him. 

"Oh, Ed, damn, it feels so good," Maes half-moaned behind him. He could feel that Maes was now fully seated inside of him, as the older man now laid down on his body. Both were sweating, grunting, both as Ed was trying to ready himself for more movement and as Maes was obviously attempting self control. 

"Maes, you can move." 

"You sure?" 

"Yes, please, move." 

The pumping began slowly as the lieutenant colonel began moving inside of the younger man. "Incredible." 

Ed could only manage to grunt with each thrust until finally, that incredible spot was struck again. "Maes! Oh, more! Maes!" 

And more he got as the older man continued to shift and thrust and ride him. "Ed! Oh, damn Ed!" 

Ed just continued to shout out his lovers name, over and over again, that single syllable crossed over the young man's lips as the older man was pumping over Ed's own rock-hard staff. 

"Oh, I'm close, Ed. So close…" 

"Please… close too." 

"Together," Maes groaned. 

Ed was beginning to reach his own climax as he felt the strange sensation of his insides being filled by the older man's seed. 

Together, the two collapsed, as Maes began withdrawing from the warm body underneath. 

"Ed," Maes said. "I love you." 

"I love you too," Ed said, looking down at the spot he'd created on the bed. "We're going to need a shower." 

"Later," the lieutenant colonel said as Ed was pulled against the other man's chest. 

Ed hissed as his aching backside came into contact with the other man's body. "Yeah, later." 

He wrapped his hand over Maes's, and sighed contentedly. 


	10. Unconditional Ending 1

**Unconditional**

Ed woke up early that morning, well, early for him. He could smell bacon cooking downstairs, and thought that there was no point in sleeping when he could be eating. He stretched languidly, taking over more than half of the double bed he shared with his lover. He climbed out from beneath the covers, trying to find the discarded underwear that had been hastily removed the night before. As much as Ed knew that the other man liked seeing him in the nude, he didn't relish the idea of hot bacon grease on his bare crotch. So regardless of his lover's wishes, he would not be going down to breakfast wearing nothing but a smile. 

Finally finding his clothes, the twenty-one-year-old got dressed and opened the bedroom door with a yawn. 

He could hear singing, or rather humming, coming from the kitchen, and Ed smiled to himself at how off-key the melody was. He knew Al was coming for a visit today and wondered what he would think if he was coming in on that, because Maes was most likely standing, humming while in only his underwear and an apron. Al was over fairly often and had, unfortunately, witnessed things far worse; all of which, Ed and Al regretted he'd seen. 

Ed went down the stairs and into the kitchen to find Maes dressed exactly as he'd expected, in an apron, undershirt and pair of briefs. 

He quietly made his way stand behind his taller lover. "You'll burn yourself, cooking like that." 

Maes grinned and turned around. "At least I put some clothes on, considering how we went to sleep last night." 

"Yeah, well enjoy it now, because with Elysia coming tomorrow, I'm not planning on doing that for a while." He wrapped his arms around Maes. "Your daughter has the worst possible timing when she decides she needs something." 

Ed grimaced at memories of the nine-year-old walking in on what had very nearly been sex between him and her father. Maes, however, was chuckling above him. 

"She nearly walked in on us," Ed said, the faintest hint of a whine in his voice. "We could have scarred her for life." 

Maes just laughed again. "No more than Gracia and Roy. She walked in on them doing more than you and me." 

Ed shook his head. "Poor, poor girl." 

"I know," Maes said. "But she just thought they were doing a lot of hugging under the blankets." He pulled away from Ed to turn the bacon. 

"You know, when Roy joked he was going to steal your wife, I could hardly have imagined he meant it. Ed walked over to his lover's side and pulled a piece of the already-cooked bacon from a table there. 

"That's supposed to go in our omelets, you know," Maes said. 

Ed took a bite and grinned up at him. "You can make more." 

Maes rolled his eyes and shook his head. "You want to get the table ready?" 

The younger man went to the cupboards and opened them to find the plates, then opened the drawer for silverware. Maes finished with the bacon and started making the omelets while Ed grabbed some drinks for them both. Ed never would have considered himself being part of such a domestic house, but yet, with Maes, he really couldn't imagine anything else. Maes was the epitome of domestic, and Ed wouldn't have his lover any other way. 

Ed glanced at the newspaper laying on the table, seeing an ad for Rockbell Automail on the front. There was the slightest pang of regret, knowing he'd hardly spoken to Auntie in ages and hadn't said word one to Winry in years. Things just weren't the same, would probably never be. Much to his disappointment, understanding as Auntie Pinako had been, she still obviously waited for him to get over this "phase" of homosexuality. 

The older man had finished with the eggs, and then turned to the table to put the two omelets on their plates. He put a hand on Ed's shoulder and squeezed gently; even if it was the world against them, Ed knew he had Maes, who currently was smiling at Ed as they sat down together. 

"Well, I have to say I'm grateful that your appetite has slowed itself down over the years. I could never have afforded to keep you the way you used to eat." 

"Keep me?" Ed said with a smile. "What the hell are you talking about? I'm a lieutenant colonel now. I make more than enough to keep myself." 

Maes just chuckled and started eating. 

Things were good between them, though it had taken some time for both to open up to the other entirely. Ed nearly shuddered at how close he'd come to losing Maes. And it would have all been because they didn't tell one another what they were doing. If he hadn't seen some of his lover's research on the homunculi, he might never have realized who Sloth was or that she had it out for the investigative officer. 

"So, how is Gracia doing?" Ed asked Maes. "You talked to her last night, didn't you?" 

"She's doing okay, though apparently Roy's a nervous wreck," Maes said. "I think he's just worried because of the miscarriage." 

"But that's been years," Ed said. "And she had Elysia." 

"I know," Maes said. "Speaking of which, we're going to have to get dressed. Between your brother coming over and Elysia later, we shouldn't be standing around in our underwear." 

Ed chuckled. "I really doubt anyone's going to want to see us like this." 

"Particularly Marta." Maes had finished his food. "Al is still bringing her, isn't he?" 

"Yes," Ed said. "You know, for how weird he sometimes is about our age difference, he doesn't seem to have any issue about dating someone about the same age as you." 

"And he's a year younger," Maes added, standing from the table. "Let's get changed, then we can go ahead and do the dishes." 

Ed nodded and took his lover's hand as he went upstairs. They had only just reached the landing when Maes came up behind him. The older man wrapped his arms around Ed and swung him around, making Ed let out an embarrassing sound of surprise. 

"Damn it! Don't do that," Ed said, wheeling around as Maes set him back to his feet. 

"But I like doing it," his lover said, smirking down at him. "Can I help it if it's nice that I can actually lift you now?" 

"You're a goof, you know that?" Ed said, walking ahead of him into the bedroom. 

"I am more than aware. You inform me of that nearly every day." Maes followed him in, and they both went about the normal routine of finding something to wear. 

Ed was in the middle of dressing as he looked over at the dark-haired man with a smile, but spotted the bullet wound in his shoulder and winced. 

"You still can't look at it?" Maes said, looking over at the thing. "I have a few dozen scars on my body, and that's the one you still can't look at?" 

"I'm getting better," Ed said, looking away as he pulled on new underwear and pants. 

Maes was fastening his own pants as he made his way to the bed, patting a spot beside him. It was a clear indication he wanted Ed at his side. 

"You still are having dreams?" 

"Nightmares," Ed corrected. "My mind just keeps thinking what might have happened if we hadn't trusted one another enough to talk. We nearly didn't, you know. If you hadn't let me and Roy know what was going on so that we could help you with Envy... I don't want to think about that." 

"But you were there, and I just got shot in my arm, Ed." Maes turned on the bed to face him. 

"I know. Those aren't the only ones I have," Ed said, with a flat chuckle. "I mean, I've got a lifetime of things to relive and have nightmares about. It's just those ones, where you and I didn't tell one another everything that make me sick. I mean, I see you shot in the heart in them. Sometimes, I'm not even there to try to stop it." 

Maes took Ed's hands in his and rubbed his own over them. "I know." 

And really, he did. More than once, the older man had helped him after a terrible nightmare, holding him closely until the worst of it had passed. 

"If I might have told you sooner about the homunculi, you might never have been in that situation." Ed said that, hitting on what was probably the truth of the situation and the cause for his dreams. 

Ed folded his hands in his lap and sighed. 

"Ed," Maes said, grabbing both of Ed's shoulders, his hand over the fox scar on the blond's right arm. "You can't play the guilt game anymore. Are you just so used to feeling guilty about something that you can't just accept that things turned out okay? I'm here. You're here, finally in one piece. Al got his body back and I swear he's going to be marrying Marta any day now, judging by how head-over-heels he is for her. Hell, Marta's here despite Bradley's best efforts. Roy and Gracia are together and expecting a little niece for you and me. Where is this guilt coming from?" 

Ed sighed. "I don't know. I think I breathe it like air. If it's not there I start to suffocate." He chuckled defeatedly as Maes pulled him closer and held him for a moment. 

Finally, the wave of regret that had come over Ed ebbed and he looked up at the older man. "I have to ask, is Maes Hughes as obnoxious as an uncle as he was as a father? Am I going to have to hide his camera?" He smirked. 

"You'd never find them all," Maes responded with a quick kiss to Ed's lips. 

"That wasn't an answer, you know," Ed said, pushing his lover down onto the bed. 

"It's as good as you're going to get. I've never been an uncle before." 

Ed began trailing a finger over Maes's chest. "So are you going to tell me where I can find those obnoxious little cameras of yours?" 

"I wouldn't count on it," he said, running a hand over the blond's back. 

"I'm very good at persuasion," the younger man responded, kissing Maes fully on the lips. 

Dressing, even if just up to their waists had been a futile effort, because, with Ed in the position he was in, straddling Maes, it wasn't long before both were grinding against one another. It was certain neither would make it to actually manage the long process of getting clothes off, deciding which of them would top—though it would probably be Maes, as he preferred the roll of the one pampering the other—and getting the bottom prepared. 

Their kisses were heated, and for every moment that one mouth left the other, it found a place on the body opposite to mark. There was no doubt they'd both be sporting turtlenecks when Al came to visit. Their hands rubbed and caressed tough, scarred skin, the skin of a military man, of a man with experience. All the while their hips sought friction against the other's, their bodies begging for release. 

Ed was close, and he could feel it as every muscle in his body prepared itself for that wonderful moment when he would cry out his lover's name at the top of his lungs. He lost all consideration of how thin the walls were and the fact that his brother sometimes walked into the house unannounced, instead reveling in the sensations rocking through his body at this moment. 

Maes, too, cried out, though he had far more restraint than the blond, biting his lower lip to keep from screaming too loudly and somehow failing miserably. 

Bonelessly, Ed rolled over onto their bed and off the man. "Nice to know I can still make you scream like that." 

"You just like to have your ego stroked," Maes said. "You're as bad as Roy. 

"First of all, I like other things stroked too. Second of all, that's an insult, and take it back." 

Maes just chucked, kissing Ed on the cheek as he stood. "Well, I'm going to go get cleaned up before Al gets here." 

The blond stretched, feeling a little lethargic at the moment. "You go do that." 

"Lazy." And with that, Maes was gone from the room. 

"Yep," Ed replied, starting to drift off to sleep, a smile still on his face.


	11. Unhealed Ending 2

**Unhealed**

Ed woke up early after a miserable sleep. Why sleep in when his mind would continue to taunt him with that? He stretched, then stood at the side of his bed, rolling his shoulders and cracking his joints, at least the ones that weren't automail. Bleary-eyed, he walked to the dresser, getting the faintest whiffs of coffee from downstairs. Screw getting dressed. He didn't have much to hide, and with as early as it was, Ed took bets the other man was still in his underwear too. Ed did his best to slick down a few pieces of rebellious hair before going to the bedroom door and opening it. 

He could hear talking going on downstairs and for a second, he thought his roommate had lost his mind, until he heard the second voice and remembered that Al was downstairs. He could hear them talking, Al's voice asking how Ed was as discretely as he could. The brothers didn't talk much any more, and honestly, Ed didn't have a clue what to say to his brother. 

And despite that, Al was still Al, even if younger than Ed had anticipated he would be after he got his body back. He worried about Ed, wanted to stay with him, but never argued when his brother told him he'd be better off with the Rockbells. 

Ed made his way down the stairs, listening to his brother's teenaged voice cracking as he talked. He smiled at that, a sign that there were real vocal chords in the process of going through puberty. Yet, he still felt the twinge of guilt. He'd made errors when he'd gotten Al his body back, or perhaps, he'd just been too optimistic to expect that Al would come back as a fifteen-year-old, memories intact. He'd hoped his little brother would remember their time traveling together, that he wouldn't start talking about this journey or that, only to have Al look at him blankly, obviously not recalling any of it. 

No, the Gate hadn't been satisfied with that. 

But even when he found himself confronted with a version of his brother much younger than he'd anticipated, Ed had been able to see the benefit in it. Al had not had memory of trying to bring their mother back, the pain of being taken through the Gate and sacrificing his body. For so long, Ed had shouldered that burden, despite his brother's protests that it had been both of their faults. Really, Ed had been relieved that he could just accept it as his responsibility with no further argument from Al, because he knew it was his. 

But no. Even pieces of Al's memory were coming back. By no means did he remember everything, but he had nightmares about their idiotic attempt at that transmutation. He remembered people too. Roy without the patch; Archer, the bastard; Gracia giving birth to Elysia; Maes... 

Al did remember Maes, but not Ed and Maes, and Ed had done nothing to correct that. Ed blinked away forming tears, internally yelling himself at still being so hurt after all this time. Then again, it would not have still been so fresh if Ed hadn't been trapped in Germany around that other Maes who wasn't Maes. 

He shook his head, trying to ignore thoughts of the prejudiced man who stared at Ed in that all-too-familiar way and yet denied his attraction as something loathsome. Yes, that Maes had gone out of his way to persecute Ed at times, and Ed had let him. He had been the closest thing to the man Ed lost. 

Ed blinked a few more times before walking into the kitchen, trying to look as though he was bleary-eyed, rather than near tears. 

"Morning, Al," he said, patting his brother on the shoulder. 

"Hi, Brother," Al said in a chipper, though fluctuating voice. 

"Here," a low voice said, handing him a cup of coffee, no cream, lots of sugar. 

"Thanks, Roy," he answered, taking the drink. 

"I'm making breakfast, any preferences? Alphonse wants omelets." Roy opened the refrigerator and began pulling out eggs and milk. 

"Fried egg sandwich," Ed answered. Roy nodded and started cooking. 

Ed could feel his brother's eyes on him. "What?" he snapped. 

"Nothing," Al said, sounding nervous. 

The older brother sighed. "I'm sorry, Al." 

Roy looked over at him, concern evident in his remaining eye. "Ed? Bad night?" 

"Just dreams, you know..." Ed was purposely being vague. 

"Nightmares?" Al asked, looking obviously concerned. And why wouldn't he? When sleep was full of nightmares for him, they were full of chimera Nina Tuckers and half-formed homunculi. 

"No, actually," Ed admitted. "Just, wishful thinking that can't happen. I'd rather have nightmares." 

"Brother, why would you say that? I couldn't imagine wanting nightmares." 

Roy was still looking at him, lips pursed together, and Ed could swear he could see his surrogate father holding his breath. Obviously Roy had no idea how Ed would answer. Truthfully, neither did he. 

"Well, with a nightmare, when you wake up, it's better. With dreams that are too happy, when you wake up, it can only be worse." Ed paused and looked at the young face, with its overly-large brown eyes. Al would probably never look his age. "Does that make any sense?" 

"I suppose so," Al said. There was a small flicker of hurt in Al's eyes, and almost immediately, Ed began fumbling over his words. 

"Al, I didn't mean you at all, I meant, well, there were other things in my life that I just hoped would be different, and they're not. And in the dreams they are, but there's no way I can fix them. You know, like, things about me." 

"You mean like the fact that you're gay?" Al asked rather bluntly. 

There was the sound of a pan hitting the counter as Roy was obviously as startled by the question as Ed was. 

"Where would you get an idea like that?" Ed asked. 

"I heard," Al looked down at his hands in his lap, "I heard Winry talking." 

Ed's posture somehow got straighter at that. It had been one of the risks of letting Al stay with the Rockbells, but it outweighed how royally Ed felt he would mess things up if he was responsible for his brother. 

"Do you think it's true?" 

"Some of it," Al said. "I really wonder if you are gay, just by things I see you do, but the other part, I know that isn't true." 

"What other part?" Roy asked, his own body tense, flashes of anger more evident in the single black eye than in his evenly-spoken words. 

"That you two are a couple," Al said. "That's what Winry thinks, since you live together and Roy has been lobbying for gay rights." 

Despite his other feelings, Ed could only chuckle at that idea. "Roy and me?" he asked. "Really?" He laughed harder. 

"That is wrong on so many levels," Roy said, turning to mix up the egg and milk mixture for the omelets. 

"I didn't think so," Al said. "When I'm around you, I feel like I'm around a father and son, and that's why Roy is so determined to get parliament to recognize gay couples because you're like family. You'd have a very messed up relationship if you were dating." 

"Al, what would you think if I was gay?" Ed asked. 

"I'd think I feel bad for you, because a lot of people still don't accept it, but I would." Al's eyes met Ed's. "You were dating someone, before, weren't you? I don't remember exactly, but that seems right, that you had a boyfriend." 

Ed sighed. "Yes, Al, I was. You remember that man, Maes Hughes?" 

Al nodded. "Him? Brother, he was married, a father, and you two… How could you do that to Mrs. Hughes?" 

"She was aware of the situation, Alphonse," Roy said, still cooking the omelet for Ed's brother. "She had always been aware that Maes was not interested in women." 

"But they married…" Al's voice drifted off in his confusion. 

"She always knew," Roy said, his voice quiet. "You have to understand, there were a lot of circumstances behind it. Not only was she worried for Maes, since his personality tended to attract the wrong kinds of attention, but she had reasons, herself." 

Ed looked up at Roy, curious. He'd never heard this part of the story before, even after all these years. He'd always just assumed Gracia married Maes because he was her friend and she was just that good of a person. 

"You see, Gracia fell for a cadet, dark-haired, fair complexion, a little like Maes," he said, not looking at either of the Elric brothers. "They didn't have an open relationship, but on two occasions, they spent the night together. Then Gracia found out she was pregnant, and the cadet had gone for training to be a state alchemist. Full training through the military at that time meant months without outside contact." Roy's body was rigid. "In a mutual move to help one another, Gracia and Maes became engaged, but before they actually married, she lost the baby." He flipped the omelet. 

"You mean that you and Gracia were together?" Ed asked. 

"Why do you think I teased Maes so often about taking his wife from him the moment you two would be able to be a couple publicly?" Roy asked, putting the omelet on a plate and putting it in front of Al. 

"But why did you let her marry Mr. Hughes?" Al asked. 

"Because it was easier that way," Roy explained, moving back to fix Ed's breakfast. "I was not in a position to be a good husband, and Maes needed her. She was loyal to him, even if not in a traditional sense, and wanted to help him." 

"And now, it feels wrong to be with her?" Ed asked him. 

Roy nodded, cracking an egg into the skillet. "Like we're both dishonoring his memory." 

Ed stood and looked over at the older man. "He would never think of it that way, Roy, and you know it. He'd be pretty pissed that you're both so miserable when there is a chance for you to be happy." 

"That's the pot calling the kettle miserable," Roy said. 

Ed opened his mouth to come back with some retort, only to find it die on his lips. He sat back down at his place at the table. There was silence as Roy fixed Ed's sandwich, until finally, Al broke it. 

"Brother, guess what? Roy said he'd sponsor me to become a state alchemist. He said he'd even work it out so that I could do research more often than anything." 

"A state alchemist, Al?" Ed looked over at his brother, hardly noticing as food was set in front of him. 

"Being a state alchemist has changed. Even you've said it," Al said. "I could stay here in Central and work on research rather than actually go out and fight. I could develop new medicines, healing techniques, even better technology. I'd be doing good things, and I'd get to stay here in Central with you. Not that I don't love Winry and Auntie Pinako, but I feel wrong being so far away. And the memories that come back to me, you are the only person who can make sense of them, good or bad." 

No correct response was coming to him, so Ed remained silent. 

Al looked down at the table. "Do you mind having me here?" 

Ed's only response was to hug his brother. A lot of things had changed, but above all else, Al hadn't. That simple fact seemed to keep Ed's world on its ever-tilting axis firmly in place. 

"We'll get the guest room ready for you, Alphonse," Roy said. Then, he looked over at Ed. "And I think some pictures need to come out of storage." 

Ed glanced up at Roy, getting the meaning. They had both put away all photos of Maes while the pain was still fresh. It was time for that man's smiling face to be recognized more than in memory. 


End file.
